Staff Correspondent

 Director General of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud met with Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Asadul Habib Dulu on Tuesday to present a comprehensive framework for deploying 100,000 trained Town Defence Party (TDP) volunteers to manage urban emergencies in Dhaka.

During the courtesy meeting held on September 8, the Ansar-VDP Director General outlined the potential of the volunteer structure to respond to sudden urban disasters, including earthquakes and fires, in the capital city of approximately 35 million residents. The proposed initiative, formulated in line with directives from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, envisions ward, zone, and thana-level trained volunteers functioning as first responders for search and rescue operations, relief distribution, and humanitarian rehabilitation.

The framework proposes providing specialized advanced training in fire response and earthquake management to 100,000 TDP members selected from the force's digital database. The plan aims to establish a localized, neighborhood-based emergency response network across Dhaka.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu expressed a positive outlook toward the proposed action plan, emphasizing the need for inter-agency coordination to execute the strategy.

During the discussion, Major General Sazzad Mahmud also briefed the minister on ongoing organizational reforms, operational capacity enhancements, and active field deployments during recent coastal floods. He highlighted the progress of the force’s climate adaptation project titled "Enhancing Climate Resilience and Adaptive Capacity of Vulnerable Communities," noting that eco-friendly plants, rainwater harvesting systems, and reverse osmosis (RO) plants will soon be installed for local VDP members in Bagerhat, Dinajpur, Barguna, and Rangamati districts.

The minister commended the recent development initiatives of the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP and expressed appreciation for the force's role in maintaining law and order during the 13th National Parliamentary Election. 

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of strengthening local-level disaster mitigation, preparedness, and rescue operations through sustained collaboration between the force and local administrations.